1.2.2 Species of European interest

The strategy for conservation of species set out in the
Directive is more complex than that for habitat types. It comprises
measures related to site designation for species listed in
Annex II, strict protection of all populations of species
listed in Annex IV, and the managed exploitation of species
listed in Annex V. A number of species are listed in more than
one Annex. The present report is concerned only with the process of
site selection and so considers only Annex II species.

Annex II (as amended by the 2003 Treaty of Accession) lists
788 species, of which 61 have been recorded in the UK
(excluding Gibraltar) since 1900. A sub-set of species listed in
Annex II are considered to be particularly rare or endangered
and are defined as 'priority species'. Only one of these, the
liverwort 1390 Western rustwort Marsupella
profunda, is known to currently occur as a native in
the UK.

Of the 61 Annex II species that have been recorded in
the UK in the past century, 21 have not had specific sites
proposed (Table 1.3), mostly because they are extinct in the
UK or have been recorded only as non-natives or vagrants (see
Section
1.5.2.5). A full list of species currently resident in the
UK is provided. The site selection rationale for 1351
Harbour porpoise Phocoena phocoena is still being
considered by the UK conservation agencies, together with the two
UK native species added to Annex II in 2003, 4056
Ram's-horn snail Anisus vorticulus and
4035 Fisher's estuarine moth Gortynaborelii
lunata.

Table 1.3 Annex II species recorded in the UK since 1900
for which no SACs have been proposed

EU code

Species name (* indicates priority species)

Reason sites not selected

Invertebrates

1041

Oxygastra curtisii (Orange-spotted emerald
dragonfly)

Extinct in UK

1060

Lycaena dispar
(Large copper butterfly)

Extinct in UK, despite reintroduction attempts

1078

*Callimorpha (Euplagia, Panaxia)
quadripunctaria (Jersey tiger)

Migrant to UK; established breeding populations are believed to
derive from introductions

1088

Cerambyx cerdo
(A longhorn beetle)

Extinct in UK

4035

Gortyna borelii lunata(Fisher's estuarine
moth)

Selection rationale still under consideration

4056

Anisus vorticulus
(A ram's-horn snail)

Selection rationale still under consideration

Fish

1101

*Acipenser sturio (Sturgeon)

Vagrant in UK waters

1105

Hucho hucho (Danubian salmon)

Introduced non-native

1113

*Coregonus oxyrhincus (Houting)

Believed extinct in UK

1134

Rhodeus sericeus amarus (Bitterling)

Introduced non-native

1141

Chalcalburnuschalcoides
(Danubian bleak)

Introduced non-native

2011

Umbra krameri
(European mudminnow)

Introduced non-native

Amphibians

1167

Triturus carnifex
(Italian crested newt)

Introduced non-native

Reptiles

1220

Emys orbicularis
(European pond terrapin)

Introduced non-native

1224

*Caretta caretta
(Loggerhead turtle)

Vagrant or occasional visitor in UK waters

1227

Chelonia mydas (Green turtle)

Vagrant or occasional visitor in UK waters

Mammals

1324

Myotis myotis (Mouse-eared bat)

Believed extinct in UK

1351

Phocoena phocoena
(Harbour porpoise)

Selection rationale still under consideration

Plants

1638

Armeria pseudarmeria
(Estoril thrift)

Introduced non-native; possibly extinct in wild

1862

Narcissus cyclamineus
(Cyclamen-flowered daffodil)

Introduced non-native

4093

Rhododendron luteum
(Yellow azalea)

Introduced non-native

In addition to the species listed in Table 1.3, experimental
reintroduction of 1337 European beaver Castor
fiber (long extinct in the UK) has been
proposed, but no licence for this work has been granted (see
Section
1.5.2.5).